It’s good to be home.
After a long four-game road trip, the Jazz returned to the comfortable confines of Delta Center Tuesday night to host an In-Season Tournament game against Portland. The Jazz used a late 13-0 run midway through the fourth quarter before cruising to the 115-99 victory.
Utah now improves to 2-0 in the tournament and will next face Phoenix on Friday night.
“A good win for us,” head coach Will Hardy said. “The credit goes to the team for the work they put in, they’ve really dug in the last seven days. … We enjoy the win tonight and back to work tomorrow.”
Here are five things to know following the win.
1.) Purple Court
You’ve heard about it. You’ve seen the renderings for weeks. But Tuesday night was the first time Jazz Nation could see the infamous purple court live.
Let me tell you… it was a sight to behold.
Compared to the other courts around the league, Utah’s approach with lavender purple as the primary color and a slightly darker palate down the middle was well executed.
The jerseys themselves are stunning. The shades of purple with the mountains are both an homage to the past and a look towards the future.
I know some fans around the league have been harsh in their critiques of the new look for the In-Season Tournament, and they wouldn’t be entirely wrong. But the Jazz have executed the new look exceptionally well.
2.) More Than Markkanen
Entering this season, it was well-known around the league that Lauri Markkanen was Utah’s best player. He’s the reigning Most Improved Player in the league, an All-Star, and at the top of every opponent’s scouting report.
Yet, on Tuesday against the Blazers, the Jazz needed others to step up significantly as Markkanen uncharacteristically struggled from the field. Although he finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, his 7-0 run midway through the fourth helped seal the victory.
However, Jordan Clarkson led five other Jazz players in double figures when he dropped a team-high 30 points — his third consecutive game of 26+ points. He also added three rebounds and two assists. John Collins added 14 points (2-of-5 from deep) and 10 rebounds, while Keyonte George continued to play well in the starting lineup with 15 points, seven assists, and four rebounds.
Collin Sexton and Kelly Olynyk’s play off the bench was key, giving Utah big sparks off the bench. Sexton finished with 13 points, seven assists, and was a +15 in 28 minutes. Olynyk added 12 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists.
“A lot of guys contributed tonight. … Keyonte and Collin, each having seven assists, set the table for us tonight,” Hardy said. “Six guys in double figures, a really good team win tonight. I’m hopeful that our team understands this is because of the work they’re putting in. …They shouldn’t be satisfied, we can get a lot better as a team.”
3.) High-Flying Highlights
It seems that every time John Collins steps onto the court for the Jazz, a highlight play is just waiting to happen. The good news for the Blazers is that Tuesday’s highlight dunk didn’t result in anyone being put on a poster.
After a steal by Clarkson allowed the Jazz to get out in transition, Clarkson took the ball to the wing to draw the defender with him. That left the middle of the paint — and the rim — wide open for Collins. Clarkson threw a pass that was maybe a little behind Collins, but the athletic forward still finished emphatically with one hand.
However, that wasn’t the only highlight of the half.
After beating his man off the dribble and driving to the hoop, Sexton dropped a beautiful bounce pass between his legs to a trailing Kelly Olynyk. In one swift move, Olynyk caught the ball perfectly in stride and knocked down a deep three.
4.) “Sheer Joy”
It was a night of firsts for Hardy.
While Tuesday night marked the 93rd game of Hardy’s tenure as coach of the Jazz, it was the first time in his career that his team held an opponent to under 100 points. Although he knew the final score, he still asked his assistant coaches for clarification.
“The first thing I said to the coaches when I looked at the box score was, “Did we really hold someone under 100?” he said.
While Hardy is sure to take the victory above all else, Tuesday’s win might just bring a couple more hours of uninterrupted joy.
“To see double digits on the scoreboard, I might actually sleep tonight,” Hardy said with a laugh.
5.) Perfect in the IST
Following the victory over the Blazers, the Jazz find themselves atop Group A with a perfect 2-0 record. They also have a +22-point differential, which could become extremely handy should they find themselves battling for one of the wild card spots.
The good news for Utah is that as long as they can take down one of their final two opponents — Suns and Lakers — there’s a realistic opportunity for the team to punch their ticket to Vegas for the quarterfinals.
Utah will host the Suns on Friday in their third game before wrapping things up in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Nov. 21. However, Phoenix is expected to have its big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal in action on Friday.
Group A Standings
Lakers: 2-0 | +30
JAZZ: 2-0 | +22
Trail Blazers: 1-1 | -14
Suns: 0-1 | -3
Grizzlies: 0-3 | -35